Council Candidate Stands By Pool Statement
Fourth Ward Council hopeful Tim Occhipinti speaks up again about the community pool.
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After Hoboken's community pool, scheduled to open July 19 at the Boys and Girls Club for kids between the ages of 5 and 12, became a topic of discussion during the recent heatwave, Fourth Ward Council candidate Tim Occhipinti is still standing by his opinion that the pool should have been opened earlier.
In a statement sent out to Hoboken's media, Occhipinti wrote: "the fact that this pool will only be open for six weeks is unacceptable."
In previous years, the pool was also open for six weeks, said Director of Health and Human Services Leo Pellegrini.
Occhipinti also said that the pool is not a campaign issue, but a community issue. In an earlier statement, however, Occhipinti described the community pool as "exactly the type of issue I will be advocating for."
While the date for the pool's opening was set by Pellegrini months ago, Occhipinti maintains that mid-july is too late, and six weeks is too short.
HobokenDad
12:58 pm on Monday, July 12, 2010
Without admitting he was wrong, what else could candidate Occhipinti do at this point other than say he stands behind his statement and then try to hedge and spin to minimize the fallout of a mess he created.
I would like to hear actionable solutions from him rather than just more griping.
khoboken
9:43 pm on Monday, July 12, 2010
This is so lame and pathetic and so easy to rip apart that I actually am starting to feel sorry for him. He is obviously way in over his head in the not so very deep end.
hullabaloo
10:50 pm on Monday, July 12, 2010
Will somebody please throw Occhipinti a life ring I can't watch him drowning in the deep end any longer. He's only making the case against himself stronger with each press release. How can Occhipinti claim to be an active member of the Boys and Girls Club advisory board and be so uninformed? Where was his concern months ago when the schedule was announced and even earlier when genuine community efforts to open the pool earlier could have been undertaken? Is he really a member of the Hoboken Boys and Girls Club advisory board? If he is they need to reconsider their board membership requirements.
hullabaloo
7:23 am on Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Occhipinti's campaign bio says that, "Tim helped lead the charge to open the only outside public pool last summer when city funds had eliminated the program. Through fundraising and actively engaging the City Council, the Advisory Board was successful in opening the pool for the summer program for the children."
Knowing the effort required to fund raise why didn't Occhpinti "lead the charge this year"? Why haven't we heard from the rest of the HBGC board or is Occhipinti speaking on their behalf? Curious and curiouser.
concerned
7:59 am on Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I just want to mention Years ago when I was a kid we had a pool in forth & hudson street Park. It was so much fun,all the kids and adults were able to attend it. tenth st park by the high school had a sand box and a water fall Sprinkler and a small pool for the children to play in even the parents went in it too.. Hoboken was such a loving and freindly town back then. The Hydrants were on to cool off. and everyone went in them. The fire department opened them up. I'm so sad that today none of these things exist and happen anymore. It would be nice if these things came back again.everything today is all about the Money. I was born in the Early Fifties Here in Hoboken and everyone got along greeted one another and smiled etc. The avenue had lots of stores it was so nice .
just wanted to express my opinion and refresh others memories.